Revoluble display-case.



G. B. SWAN. REVOLUBLE DISPLAY GASB. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12, 19H9.

l 95 1,66% Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

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ANDREW, a GRAHAM C0. PMMOJJWDGRAPHERS, wASmNmou. D c.

REVOLUBLE DIS APPLIGATION FILED JA G. B. SW

Pa4 dMa. 910.

` SHEET ET 2y UNITED STATES PATENT OFETE;

4GEOIStGrIE B. SWAN, 0F CROSS PLAINS, TEXAS,

"REVOLUBLE vDISPLAY-CASE.

`Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led January 12, 1909. Serial No. 471,878.

hibitor for souvenir post-cards,photographs, advertising cards or booklets, magazines,

catalogues, yand railroad time tables or the like.

The invention contemplates a structure `capable of holding cards of different dimensions, which structure shall be compactly assembled, of attractive and distinctive appearance, capable of holding a maximum number of cards or booklets 1in proportion to the space occupied, 'inexpensive to 1nanufacture, readily set up, and `eiicient in use.

The above objects are carried out `by a novel.constructionfand arrangement of parts which may be stated more ,particularly as residing in a central tubular `member surrounded by a number `of stepped cylinders, each cylinder having projecting card `or booklet receptacles. The said tubular ,mem-

ber rotatably surrounds a central shaft and the entire structure is mounted upon a supporting pedestal `which `carries said shaft,

ball bearings being interposed between said pedestal .and the revolublestructure. A cap member is `removably provided `on the top of the' shaft and servesto hold `the revoluble structure from axial vibration due to any cause whatever `and consequently to render the .rotation of .the structure easy `and noiseless. The lfulfillment .of `this purpose is assisted by rigidly Vconnecting the several cylinders above .referred to.

The structure also includes novel means for retaining n position a pane of glass which forms the front wall of each receptacle and through which the exposed cards or booklets are visible.

The structure also includes `novel closure means for the several receptacles, and `'novel `means for assembling said closure imeans.

The various structuralidetailswill fbe set forth at length in the :followingdescriptiom j advantageous .embodiment of the invention, while thenovel subject-matter involved `will be .defined in the claims hereunto appended.

In the said drawings Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in central yertical section of a display `case constructed :in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with parts removedl and parts broken away to show more clearly certain `details of structure to be hereinafter described, and Fig. 3 `is a detail perspective view on an enlarged scale illustrating more particularly theconstruction of the `closure means for the receptacles and the `manner of assembling said closure tion `6 is afforded which surrounds the upper end vportion `of the `pedestal Rigidly mounted `in the latter and projecting upwardly and axially therefrom is a rod 7 which has a round cross section and which is passed through the tubular `member 1 and serves as a .center bearing lfor the rotatable structure. j

The stepped cylinders above referred to `are designated -by the numerals 8, 9, 10 and 11 andare of successively increasing `diameter :from `the top of the structure to the bottom thereof, whereby the case presents the general appearance of a stepped cone. Said cylinders are formed by a number of projecting disk-shaped plates 12 of successivel-y increasing diameter in the order stated, which plates are rigidly secured at their central portions -to the tubular member Awalls 13, the arrangement being such that the wal-ls 13 `depend from theouter edges of ,the plates 121to which lthey are connected as Patented Mai'. 8, 1910.

aforesaid `and `are connected to the next `edge thereof. The cylindrical wall ofthe upper cylinder `8 is designated 13 and is `connected tothe upper plate 12 at a distance from the outerledge thereof. The upper cylinder 8 is closed by a flanged disk 14 which has intertting engagement in said cylinder and which surrounds a reduced threaded extension 15 of the rod 7. A suitably ornamented cap member 16 is assembled upon the extension 15 Vand bears against the closure 14, the cap member 16 serving to hold the structure in the assembled relation described and to prevent aXialvibration in the rota? l forms the bottom wall of thelowermost cylinder. The portions of the plates 12 which project beyond the cylindrical walls 13 are designated for the sake of convenience of description by the numeral 17, and such projecting portions 17 serve as the bottoms for the card or booklet receptacles, the latter being disposed in annular tiers. It will be apparent that the member 1 and the plates 12 together afford means for connecting the cylinders 8, 9, 10 and 11 rigidly, such rigid connection assisting in the compact assemblage of the structure and in the reduction of noise and vibration.

Projecting radially from the cylindrical walls 13 and 13l are a number of radial wings 18 which are arranged at equal distances apart in annular series and which are of equal size throughout each annular series. The wings 18 form the side walls of the card or booklet receptacles, which latter are designated 8, 9, 10 and 11l in the order of their association with the respective cylinders 8, 9, 10 and 11. The front walls of the receptacles arevconstituted of glass panels 19, with which are associated for the sake of utility and appearance rectangular frames, the latter comprising vertical strips 20 secured to the wings 18 and upper and lower horizontal strips 21 and 22 connecting the strips 20, the strips 22 being secured in suitable Inanner to the projecting ledge portions 17.

The frames may be constructed in any suitable manner, as for example by stamping out rectangular openings in `integral section of sheet material, or the strips 21 and 22 may be made separate from the strips 20 and secured thereto in suitable manner. The panes 19 are for the purpose of distinctive display of flat formation and it fol! lows that the strips 21 and 22 will be straight and will be arranged at obtuse angles to one another. Vertical flanges 23 project later'- ally from each side of the wings 18 at a short distance inwardly of the strips 20 and said anges 23, together with said strips, constitute a positive means for holding the glass panels 19 against displacement. It Will be understood that the strips 20 and flanges 23 have an angular cross section corresponding to the degree of angularily bctween the adjacent strips 21.

While it is not essential, it is preferred to provide closures for the several card or booklet receptacles, such closures being designated generally by the numeral 24 and each comprising a metallic plate having its rear edge curved in conformity to the curvature of the adjacent cylindrical wall 13, having inwardly tapering side edges, and having` a. projecting front portion which in the closed position of the plates rests upon the corresponding strip 21. For the purpose of add ing strength to the closures, depending curved flanges 25 are provided at the rear edges thereof, and depending flanges 2G are provided at the side edges thereof. The flanges 26 serve to prevent rattling of the closures and toward this end said flanges bind with a slight degree of friction against the adjacent wings 18. The flanges 25 are spaced slightly from the adjacent cylindrical wall 13, in order that the plates 24 may be raised and lowered through the neeessary angle without undue binding. The plates 24 are pivotally assembled, a common pivot means serving for each annular series, such pivot means comprising a wire ring 27 which is passed through openings in the wings 18 and through openings in the flanges 26. This peculiar pivotal assemblage of the plates 24 is preferred, for the reasons of its simplicity, inexpensiveness and ciiiciency. It will be seen that by the provision of the annular pivot rings 27, operations of soldering, riveting, cutting, and the attendant liability of displacement or breakage of the pivot pins are eliminated.

For the sake of convenience, it is preferred to construct the upper cylinder 8 as a coin container in order that persons may drop coins into said cylinder in payment for cards or booklets which they have taken from the receptacle. Accordingly a removable cup-shaped coin receptacle 28 is arranged within the cylinder 8, the bottom of the receptacle 28 surrounding the member 1. The closure plate 14 is formed with a slot 29 through which the coins may be dropped into the receptacle 28 and a lock 30 of approved known construction is provided for preventing the removal of the plate 14 by maliciously inclined persons, the lock 30 obviously comprising cooperating elements associated with the plate 14 and the wall 13.

In order that the display case may have a distinctive and attractive appearance, the various receptacles of one annular series are arranged in staggered relation to the receptacles of the next adjacent lower and upper series. The receptacles of each series are also preferably of different dimensions and consequently one series will contain a greater numberI of receptacles than another series, the preferred arrangement being such that the greatest number of receptacles are comprised in the lowermost series, and that the receptacles of the several upper series decrease successively in number. This numerical relation of the receptacles as well as their staggered arrangement is shown in Fig. Q.

It will be apparent that the receptacles form complete inclosures for the cards or booklets contained therein and consequently protect the latter against destructive effects of dust and insects.

Having fully described my invention, I claim 1. In a device of the type set forth, in combination, a display case including a cylindrical wall, au annular supporting ledge portion projecting from said cylindrical wall, radiallyv disposed wings projecting at intervals from said cylindrical wall and, with said ledge portion, forming card recep tacles, front walls for said card receptacles,

closures for the latter comprising plates having angular side flanges, and an annular A wire ring passed through said wings and said side flanges and constituting a common pivot means for said plates.

2. In a device of the type set forth, in combination, a central revolubly mounted tubular member, a plurality of plates of successively increasing diameter projecting therefrom and rigidly carried thereby, cylindrical wall members rigidly connecting the plates, and a plurality of radial wings projecting outwardly from the wall members and forming with the projecting portions of the plates, card pockets.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE B. SWAN.

itnesses L. W. CLEMENT, S. C. BARR. 

